Dead Weight

by Frank Smith

  ‘To be honest, I don’t know either,’ Tregalles confessed. ‘The only way we can approach this is to find out as much about Justine as possible in the hope that it will give us a lead. Now, I know you don’t seem to think it likely, but let’s assume for a moment that the reason Justine lied to Mrs Lorrimer about who she was spending the day with was because she was meeting a man. Can you think of where or how she might have met him? Did she belong to any groups in town? Social, political, church, perhaps? Any ideas, Maria?’

  The young nurse shook her head once again. ‘As I said, Justine doesn’t really have a social life. To the best of my knowledge, she wasn’t a member of anything, and I think I would have known. We are good friends and we share stuff like that. Actually, although she always seems to be very confident, she’s really quite shy. She doesn’t mix well in groups; I think there are times when she would like to, but she doesn’t quite know how. I know there are times when I’ve had the feeling that she is a little bit envious of my relationship with Paul. Not that she’s ever said anything. It’s more in the way she looks when I talk about something that Paul and I have done together. It’s as if she wishes she could do something like that herself.’

  ‘And Paul is …?’

  ‘Paul Wheeler. Another member of our little co-op at the house. He’s in the first year of the Foundation Programme. It’s a programme they have to go through before going on to become a GP or continue on to specialize,’ she explained. ‘Paul wants to get into cardiology.’

  Tregalles couldn’t put his finger on it, but he had the feeling that Maria was holding something back. ‘Look, Maria,’ he said, lowering his voice to match her own, ‘I know Justine is your friend, and perhaps she’s shared secrets with you that you feel obliged to keep to yourself, but this is no time to hold back. So please tell me if Justine has ever said or even hinted that she has a lover?’

  ‘A lover?’ Maria stared at him, then dismissed the idea with an emphatic shake of her head. ‘That’s … well, it’s ridiculous,’ she said.

  ‘Ridiculous or not, we have good reason to believe that Justine may have a lover, and since she’s been missing for close to three days now, we have to explore every possibility. So please think hard before you answer: has Justine ever said anything that might lead you to believe she was involved with a man?’

  The young nurse drew back to study him through narrowed eyes. ‘You really are serious, aren’t you?’ she said. ‘But why are you so sure she was seeing someone?’

  ‘I’m afraid I can’t tell you that,’ Tregalles said. He tried his coffee again; it was lukewarm. He grimaced at the taste. Maria must be used to it, he decided, because she had almost finished hers. He set his mug aside.

  Maria looked perplexed. ‘I don’t know what to say,’ she said. ‘Honestly, Sergeant, the only other thing Justine had any time for, apart from when we were able to get together, was the church. She always has time for that. She hardly ever misses going to mass on Sundays and sometimes on holy days in the middle of the week as well. Father Leonard runs fitness classes in the gym in the basement of the church, and Justine even talked about taking Tai Chi at one point last year, but I don’t think she ever did. In fact, I tease her that she goes because she’s got a thing for Father Leonard—’

  She stopped abruptly as she saw the expression on Tregalles’s face. ‘Oh, no,’ she whispered, horrified at the unintended implication. ‘I didn’t mean … It was a joke. Honestly!’

  ‘But could there be some truth to it?’ Tregalles persisted.

  ‘No! No, absolutely not,’ Maria said flatly. ‘I only meant it in fun, because Father Leonard is young and good-looking.’

  ‘How did Justine respond to your teasing?’ Tregalles asked.

  ‘She didn’t like it,’ Maria said softly. ‘Justine said I shouldn’t be saying things like that about a priest. I only meant it in fun, but I could see she was quite annoyed, so I never mentioned it again. She doesn’t take kindly to jokes, even mild ones, about her faith.’

  Or perhaps Maria had come too close to the truth, Tregalles thought. But there was nothing to be gained by pursuing that line of questioning with Maria.

  ‘All right, then,’ he said, ‘what can you tell me about this chap, Sebastian Mills? Mrs Lorrimer’s older son. I haven’t met him yet, but I’ve been told he’s a good-looking man. Do you know if Justine has shown any interest in him?’

  Maria shook her head. ‘Besides, he’s in university. Leeds, I think Justine said, and she doesn’t like him. I met him briefly last Christmas when I called for Justine, and I didn’t like him either. He’s too …’ She searched for a word. ‘Smarmy? Is that the right word?’

  ‘It could be,’ Tregalles said. ‘Thinks a lot of himself? God’s gift to women? That sort of thing?’ Maria gave an emphatic nod. ‘He’s back home now,’ Tregalles told her. ‘Came home last week.’

  Maria looked at her watch. ‘I don’t know what else I can tell you,’ she said, ‘and I really should be getting back.’

  ‘Then I won’t keep you,’ Tregalles said. ‘And thank you for your time and patience. If you should happen to think of anything, no matter how small, please call this number.’ He handed her his card, then got to his feet.

  Maria took it and had started to get up when her eyes filled with tears, and she sat down again. ‘I really wish I could help you,’ she said plaintively. ‘I’ve been trying not to think about it, but I’m so afraid that something bad has happened to Justine. I know she wouldn’t just leave that little boy. Not like that, not without …’ Eyes glistening, she looked up at Tregalles. ‘You think she’s dead, don’t you?’ she whispered. ‘You haven’t said it, but that’s what you think, isn’t it?’

  ‘It’s far too early to be thinking along those lines,’ Tregalles told her. ‘I’m sure there is some reasonable explanation, and we’ll do everything we can to find her.’ He offered his hand to help Maria to her feet. She flashed him a grateful smile and took his hand. ‘Tell me,’ he said as they made their way to the door, ‘have you ever been in Justine’s room in Simla House?’

  ‘A couple of times, yes. Why?’

  ‘Did you ever see a crucifix there?’

  Maria nodded. ‘Oh, yes. It belonged to Justine’s grandfather. He gave it to her when she left Manila. It’s on the wall above her bed.’

  ‘When was the last time you were in her room?’

  Maria thought back. ‘It was the Saturday before Christmas. I called for her and we went out to a pre-Christmas lunch together.’

  ‘And it was there then?’

  ‘Of course, but why do you want to know that?’

  ‘Just checking,’ Tregalles said vaguely. ‘Just checking.’

  SEVEN

  Tregalles shouldered the door open and entered the office, a Styrofoam cup of coffee in one hand and a packaged sandwich in the other. ‘Late lunch,’ he explained as he set both on the edge of Molly’s desk. He took off his coat, flung it over a vacant chair, pried the top off the coffee, then sat down and set about unwrapping the sandwiches. ‘Supposed to be tuna,’ he confided as he examined one. He took a tentative bite, then wrinkled his nose and shrugged. ‘Anyway,’ he said, ‘I saw the priest, and he couldn’t say if Justine attended mass or not on Easter morning, but he is going to ask the people who assisted him that morning if they remember seeing her. He’s also going to talk to members of the choir, especially the men, because they have a good view of everyone as they come up to take the sacrament, and Justine is a good-looking woman.’

  Molly eyed him sceptically. ‘That doesn’t sound like something a priest would say,’ she said. ‘That sounds more like DS Tregalles. What sort of man is he, anyway?’

  Tregalles grinned. ‘Believe it or not, that’s exactly what he did say,’ he said. ‘As for what sort of man he is, let’s just say that Father Leonard is not your typical priest. He’s young, he’s good-looking, he rides a racing bike, and I imagine there’s more than one of his female parishioners attending mass a
bit more often than they used to before he came to town.’ He became serious. ‘But one thing he did tell me was that although Justine has attended mass regularly, she hasn’t been to confession since the beginning of the year.’

  ‘She got the prescription for Yasmin a day or two after New Year,’ Molly said thoughtfully. ‘I wonder if that had anything to do with it. Any luck with Justine’s friend, Maria?’

  Tregalles shook his head. ‘She was quite shocked when I asked her if Justine had a lover, and even more shocked when I asked if she thought there might be something going on between Justine and Father Leonard.’

  ‘Hardly surprising,’ Molly observed drily, ‘especially if she’s a Catholic herself.’

  ‘True, but, funnily enough, Maria said she had teased Justine about that very thing, suggesting – jokingly, of course – that the reason she was going to church so regularly was because Father Leonard was so good-looking, and Justine more or less rounded on her for even suggesting it in fun.’ Tregalles sighed. ‘I just don’t get it,’ he confessed. ‘Justine Delgado doesn’t seem to have anything remotely resembling a social life. She’s young, she’s pretty, she’s obviously intelligent, and yet her entire life appears to be centred around Michael Lorrimer. She shows no interest in mixing socially. Doesn’t that sound odd to you, Molly?’

  Sounds a bit like my life, thought Molly, but she nodded. ‘On the other hand, maybe she’s just shy?’

  ‘Maria said that, too, but I still think it’s odd. Let’s leave that for the moment. Did you find anything in that classroom upstairs?’

  ‘No sign of a laptop or anything of a personal nature in there, I’m afraid,’ Molly said. ‘Michael Lorrimer has his own Braille computer and an audio reader; I suppose it’s possible there is something on it to do with Justine’s intentions, but I very much doubt it.’

  ‘Why don’t you go back there tomorrow with a tech to have a look at it. And while you’re there, try to talk to anyone else who’s around, regardless of what Stephen Lorrimer said about them not knowing anything.’

  ‘I’ve already spoken to Mrs Lorrimer’s older son, Sebastian Mills,’ Molly told him, ‘and he confirms what his mother said about seeing Justine as she was leaving Sunday morning. Other than that, he claims he barely noticed her, which I find hard to believe, since she’s an attractive young woman, and he seems to think of himself as irresistible to women.’

  ‘Sounds like he’s made a hit with young Sylvia, though,’ Tregalles observed. ‘Come on to you, did he, Molly?’

  She made a face. ‘Not exactly,’ she said, ‘but I had the feeling that he might if given half a chance.’

  ‘You could always give him a trial run if he asked you out?’ Tregalles suggested slyly. ‘After all, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard you say anything about your boyfriend in Hong Kong. Perhaps it’s time to think about—’

  ‘I rang that number Mr Lorrimer gave us,’ Molly cut in sharply. ‘The one for Terry Baxter in Penzance. He confirmed that the last time he saw Justine was at lunch on Saturday before leaving for Worcester. When I asked him what they talked about, he said it was a bit one-sided and he’d realized, belatedly, that Justine was barely listening. He told me it was as if she had something much more serious on her mind, and he’d felt a bit of a fool for not recognizing that earlier.’

  ‘So, if Terry Baxter, a total stranger, noticed that, why didn’t those who knew her notice it as well?’ Tregalles wondered aloud.

  ‘It just might be that Justine was simply fed up with Baxter’s persistent attentions and deliberately shut him out.’

  ‘Could be,’ Tregalles agreed, ‘but it’s worth keeping in mind. Now,’ he pointed to the papers spread out on Molly’s desk. ‘Anything worthwhile in that lot?’

  ‘Nothing out of the ordinary, I’m afraid. Justine’s pretty careful with her money. She transfers at least half of her salary to an account in Manila every month. Don’t know yet if it goes to her own bank account in Manila, or—’

  ‘Maria Navarro told me Justine helps pays for her grandfather’s care in a home in Manila,’ Tregalles broke in. ‘We can check that out once we gain access to her bank records.’

  ‘No need,’ said Molly. ‘The boss is already taking care of that himself.’

  ‘Paget?’ Tregalles stared at Molly. ‘How did that happen?’

  ‘He came down here after talking to you when you were leaving the hospital, and asked me what I thought. He wanted to know what was in the papers I’d brought back, and when I mentioned bank statements and Manila, he said it might save time if he spoke to the bank and the police in Manila. Not only that, but he said he’s been on to the agency in Birmingham that handled Justine’s placement, requesting any information they have on her background and previous employment.’

  Tregalles eyed Molly suspiciously. ‘Now, why would he do that?’ he asked softly. ‘Did you ask him to do it? Did you suggest …?’ He stopped when he saw the look on Molly’s face.

  ‘I did not ask or suggest that he do anything,’ Molly said coldly. ‘He just took the bank statements and said he’d take care of them. I was just as surprised as you are, but I could hardly say no, could I? Personally, I think Mr Paget is just dying to get back into the nuts and bolts of the job, instead of sitting behind a desk all day. I think he wants to be involved in things the way he used to be.’

  ‘Could be, I suppose,’ Tregalles said grudgingly. ‘It’s just that …’ He shook his head as if trying to rid himself of an unwelcome thought, and fell silent.

  Molly thought she understood what was going through the sergeant’s mind. Tregalles was the senior investigating officer on what could turn out to be a major case, and he didn’t want Paget or anyone else taking over.

  ‘Anything else?’ he asked.

  Molly ran through the rest of her notes, but she had the feeling that Tregalles was only half listening. The request for Justine’s mobile telephone and internet records had gone in, but wouldn’t be available until tomorrow, she told him, and Paget had authorized the release of Justine Delgado’s picture to the media. ‘In time for the evening news and the morning papers,’ she concluded.

  Lingering in the back of her mind was the vivid memory of a case last year where victims had been literally plucked off the streets to be murdered in the most brutal way. The killer was dead, but that didn’t mean there couldn’t be another predator out there. She shared her thoughts with Tregalles.

  ‘On the other hand,’ Tregalles countered, ‘it could be as simple as someone trying to snatch Justine’s handbag or mobile phone. There’d be very few people about at that time on a Sunday morning. She tries to hang on to it, and is either hit or falls and hits her head, and suddenly her attacker has a body on his hands. He panics, and perhaps he and a mate conceal her body or drag it to a car or van and take it away.’

  ‘If it were me, I don’t think I’d spend much time hiding the body,’ said Molly. ‘I’d get as far away from the scene as fast as I could, rather than risk someone seeing me.’

  ‘Either way,’ Tregalles said, ‘we need a team out there to search the area and do a door-to-door between Simla House and St Joseph’s first thing tomorrow morning. And we’re going to need some help, so give Uniforms a call and see how many bodies they’re prepared to give us.’

  ‘Pretty girl,’ Audrey Tregalles observed sadly as she switched off the television set and the picture of Justine Delgado faded to black. ‘What could have happened to her at that time of morning? I mean, it’s not like a weekday when there’d be all sorts of people on their way to work, is it, love? So where could she have gone?’

  ‘We’ll be doing a sweep through the area first thing tomorrow morning,’ Tregalles told her. ‘The priest can’t remember if she was at mass that morning or not, so we don’t know if something happened to her on the way to church or after she left there. I’ve asked him for the names of everyone he does remember being there that morning, so we can question them.’

  Audrey picked up the kni
tting that was lying in her lap. ‘What do you think happened?’ she asked. ‘I mean, I know you don’t know, but any ideas at all?’

  Tregalles stared at the blank screen. ‘To tell the truth, I’m beginning to wonder if she went to mass at all. Somebody with a car could have been waiting to pick her up, or she may have gone off in another direction entirely. She did lie about where she was going, and I wonder if that was so she wouldn’t be missed until late Sunday night or Monday morning.’

  ‘Maybe she never left that funny old house at all,’ Audrey suggested darkly. ‘Have you thought of that?’

  ‘I have, but considering the state Mrs Lorrimer was in when she talked to Paget this morning, and how much they rely on Justine to look after the boy, I don’t see a motive if you’re suggesting they did away with her.’

  ‘Oh, I wasn’t suggesting anything like that,’ Audrey said hastily, ‘but it is a bit of a mystery, isn’t it? What does Mr Paget think? I haven’t heard you say much about him lately, until today. It must be nice for the two of you, working together again like you used to.’

  ‘We’re not,’ Tregalles said tightly. ‘At least not the way we used to. He was involved in the beginning because Mrs Lorrimer happened to catch him when he came in first thing this morning, but Superintendent Pierce still has him chained to his desk. I still report to him, but out on the street it’s just been me and Molly these past few months.’

  ‘So you’re like partners now that she’s a detective sergeant as well?’

  ‘Except I’m still senior,’ Tregalles pointed out. ‘The trouble is, Molly’s anxious to get on, so it’s a bit of a competition between us. Normally, she would have been gone by now, but with all the cutbacks, there aren’t any openings.’